


Interlude

by j_whirl44



Category: Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)
Genre: I named a kobold Greg for this., Other, Rarepair, but....let it into your heart as I have, give these two chaotic energies a shot, my legacy on discord may be this ship i have to put my money where my mouth is, preslah?, smitten Carter bc aren't we all with Cel tbh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-05-25
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:34:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24379540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/j_whirl44/pseuds/j_whirl44
Summary: Carter and Cel have a chat.
Relationships: Celiquillithon "Cel" Sidebottom & Howard Carter, Celiquillithon "Cel" Sidebottom/Howard Carter
Comments: 13
Kudos: 22





	Interlude

Howard Carter is a slippery fellow and he knows that. He’s actually pretty proud of it. He also knows the group doesn’t like him, and that doesn’t bother him.

Most of the time.

Other times, such as right now, it gets under his skin a bit. Plants seeds of doubt within him. He watches everyone, Barnes, Wilde, Zolf, Hamid, and Azu, sit and drink and laugh from across the room. No one’s invited him over and tonight he just doesn’t feel like inviting himself.

They’re celebrating and preparing. Shion’s weird borb thing finally gave them some answers and the group has a long journey ahead of them. They’re going back to London tomorrow. It’s an answer no one really wanted, but those creepy drawings were something they couldn’t ignore. There’s a somber tone across the room. Carter also suspects there’s something else hanging in the air, but it’s something he’s not supposed to be privy to. So he ignores it for the most part. 

A body sits down next to him, it’s Cel. Carter realizes he hasn’t had a chance to really talk to them during all of this. He looks at them with an expression between amusement and confusion. He’s about to speak when he notices a third party beside them, it’s one of the kobolds. They’re eyeing Carter suspiciously and Cel notices. They tell them something in draconic and the kobold seems to relax, but only slightly.

“So, mister Carter what are you doing over here by yourself?” Cel asks. They’re staring at him with what Carter thinks is a strange amount of wonder. He hasn’t known Cel long, but from strict first impressions he could tell they thought no question was too personal to ask. A dangerous but redeeming quality.

Carter takes a thoughtful sip of his drink and gives a non committal shrug, “Never was much of a team player. Like to be on my own,” he says, hoping it’s enough to satisfy the inquisitive alchemist.

In fairness, that wasn’t a total lie. Carter didn’t really like working with others, they’ve only ever slowed him down or gotten him in trouble. When he did jobs alone he just got them done faster full stop. But even someone as daft as him knows that going at it alone the state the world is in is suicide so he thought _ maybe _ he could play nice with others now. No matter how much the others actively hated him.

“Why do the others not like you? You seem fine to me. Well you did try and break out of the cell we were in, which, at the time probably wasn’t very smart. You know I’m getting the impression you’ve wormed your way out of a lot of cells in your day mister Carter-”

Carter held up a hand to stop Cel’s stream of consciousness, he gave them a small smile, “Yes I-uh have broken out of a cell or two in my time. Kinda why they brought me on,” he says, he muses on the question Cel actually asked, “I suspect that’s also why they don’t like me.”

Cel looked between him and the rest of the group. He notices their ear twitch as they seem lost in thought. An expression that just seems default to Cel, he thinks.

The kobold is again starting at Carter with growing unease. He doesn’t know why but he clears his throat and fixes his posture under their gaze, he leans a little to Cel, “Uh...Cel,” he says.

They whip back around, almost hitting Carter in the process like they weren’t expecting him to be so close. They both mumble a small apology to each other.

“Sorry. Sorry,” Carter says, “I just want to ask you about your friend here.” He gestures towards the kobold.

Cel follows his gaze and their eyes light up as if remembering they were there at all. “Oh! This is my buddy, their name is...er well you actually wouldn’t be able to pronounce it. Draconic is-heh-it’s pretty tricky and English is just a nonsense language most of the time let’s see…” Cel drifts off. The kobold watches them as if waiting in anticipation to see what they’ll come up with. “We can call ‘em Greg. Yeah. That’s...that’s good, I think.”

The kobold, now known as Greg, seems genuinely pleased with that answer. Carter gives a laugh that silently draws the attention from the other table, but neither he nor Cel notices. Cel gives a look that says they don’t quite understand what’s so funny.

“Sorry,” Carter apologizes again, “it’s just such a...normal name for a creature like that.”

Cel and the kobold both bristle at the word ‘creature’ Cel pats Greg on the arm as to calm them down. Carter takes another nervous swig of his drink. He knows he probably should apologize, but he holds his tongue.

“Greg here helped me out the most when we were setting up the borb for integration. They’re very knowledgeable. The smartest of the pack actually. And aware,” Cel says, every word felt more pointed towards Carter than the last. Now it was his turn to bristle.

“Of course, I’m not doubting the skill of Greg. I guess I should be thanking them, thanking the both of you for putting that together. It was very impressive,” Carter says. He’s doing what he does best when caught with a foot in his mouth; sweet talking his way out of it.

Of course, he’s not lying. Wilde’s intel on Cel really did check out. They were a talented alchemist and there’s been a few times this past week where Carter’s found himself just watching them work because it was truly something. He tries to ignore the heat he feels rise to his cheeks, or at least tries to blame it on the alcohol.

He looks over at Greg, who almost looks like they’re  _ smirking _ at him. Cel looks surprised and confused at his response. Carter relaxes, he thinks he’s in the clear again.

He also thinks he sees Cel blushing, which is something he didn’t expect, but wasn’t upset about by any means.

“Oh well thank you. It was simple really you just gather the supplies you’re giving and then think about…” Cel starts to go on a tangent about how they put together the integration machine and Carter just sits and listens. He has absolutely no idea what any of it means but Cel has been nothing but kind to him so he doesn’t mind.

There’s a quick silence once Cel realizes they’ve been talking for longer than socially acceptable. Carter notices there’s a look on their face though like they want to say more.

“Are you alright, Cel?” he asks.

Their face is unreadable, to Carter’s frustration. Cel clears their throat, “actually there’s something I want to ask you mister Carter-er-just Carter,” they say.

He gives them a nod as to say continue. Cel starts to pick at their fingernails, Greg stiffins beside them. Carter suddenly sits up straighter now too. “That Elvish mead where did you-uh where did you get it? I haven’t seen any since uh...since a long time ago,” they say.

Carter is surprised by the question and he’s embarrassed that his answer isn’t something more profound, “I just kinda swiped it. Stole it from some travelers while they weren’t looking when I was on patrol. Didn’t really notice what type of alcohol it was till I came back here and put it in the stash. It’s pretty rare right?” he says.

Cel nods, “It was easier to get before the world turned to this,” they say as they start to laugh nervously, “the weather makes for bad trade business I suppose. Can’t do much about it.”

The air’s gone heavy and Carter doesn’t really know how to handle it. He’s never been one for substantial conversation. No one’s usually given him that kind of time. After all these years he’s still trying, and mostly failing, to play nice with others. But this group is good and there’s a part of him that’s jealous of their bond. He briefly thinks of the two who used to be with them and wonders where they are now.

Greg says something and Cel gives them a small smile and a nod. The two then embrace. Carter smiles at the incredibly awkward exchange. He and Cel lock eyes, they both blush. They both ignore it.

Another silence between the two, “So…” Cel speaks up, their eyes get a glint in them that Carter knows is probably trouble. He braces himself. “You tried to get with Wilde then? He seems so…”

Carter snorts, “There was a time when he wasn’t so...distant, but things change I suppose. No harm done, really. Except he was quite rude about when  _ I feel  _ he didn’t have to be.” he says.

Cel cackles at that, Carter smiles.

Then they just...talk for a while. Carter asks them more about what they do exactly and Cel probes him about his life as a thief. He decides to leave out the bit about trying to steal from Hamid’s family, it seemed like something so irrelevant, and embarrassing now. Carter’s genuinely surprised at how well they get on. He still has no clue what they talk about, especially when they unknowingly switch between languages mid sentence, but Carter  _ likes  _ Cel so he doesn’t interrupt them.

He notices the rest of the party occasionally glancing over at them, Barnes even gives him a pointed look, to which he responds with a shrug and a wink. Barnes rolls his eyes.

It’s late now and Carter knows they ship out early in the morning, “You should probably get some sleep,” he says, “It’s late.”

Cel stops rambling to check a watch that’s not there on their wrist. Their eyes go a little wide as they say something to Greg, who scurries off to fulfill whatever request.

“Why does Greg stick with you and not with the others? Are they scared of the precious dragon king?” Carter asks. Cel flinches, “uh yeah actually. They-uh- seem to have been affected the most with whatever Shoin did to them. Whatever spell. I told you they were the smartest one while helping me. I think maybe they had one of the...longer exposures to the control and the lab. They’re probably one of the only ones still here from that. I don’t think they trust Hamid yet,” they say.

“Oh,” is all Carter can manage to say.

“Yeah,” they say, “but I don’t mind! Greg’s a good little buddy.”

Carter doesn’t know how to deal with Cel’s constant solem to peppy tonal shifts so he just nods.

“Well you’re right, Carter, I should go. This was a...fun? I guess. Trying to work out this whole people thing still,” they say with a small smile.

“Yeah. Me too,” Carter says.

A moment of silence. Broken by Greg when they come back in the room and yell something to Cel. “That’s my que. I’ll uh. See you later then. Hopefully. If we make it back. Lot of variables,” they say.

Carter raises his long empty glass to them, “Safe travels," he says. It's a lame phrase in this case, but he doesn't know what else to say.

Cel nods a very stiff nod and leaves the room unceremoniously.

Carter sits alone now. He thinks about what’s ahead with all this. Tries to ignore the warm feeling in the pit of his stomach that always made him gag.

He wonders where he can find more Elvish mead for when Cel returns.

**Author's Note:**

> for the discord xoxo. Carter/Cel rights.


End file.
